Surgical cast cutter



Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL CAST CUTTER.

Arthur J. Hood, Reno, Nev. Application December 27,1943, Serial No. 515,641 I (01. 30-229) 2 Claims.

1943, now Patent No. 2,357,197, issued August'29,

The principal objectsof the present invention are to provide a cast cutting implement so constructed that it can get under the cast and cut close to the skin Withoutv bruising or otherwise hurting the tender flesh of the patient, so that it is well adapted to remove ,nonpaddedcasts; one which can b manipulated to remove punched-out sections of the cast or to cut a nonsevered ribbon in the cast, as may be desired; and which has a greater cutting leverage than the previous device so that cutting operations are facilitated and expedited without the need of excessive physical effort on the part of the operator.

Another object is to provide a cutting implement of this character so constructed that the lower handle is integral or rigid with the lower jaw or shoe and said handle forms the means to I guide said jaws in any direction in which it is desired to make a cut in the cast, and also makes it very easy to initially insert the implement between the cast and the flesh and facilitate starting of the cut, as well as the subsequent cutting movements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These and other objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views 1 Figure l is aside elevation of the implement, with the jaws wide open. 9

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the implement, with the jaws fully closed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, th implement comprises an elongated lower handle I, and integral with the handle at its forward ,end is a vertically narrow fiat portion 2, said portion terminating in a relatively narrow, parallel-sided cutting bar or fixed jaw 3 having a chisel-shaped sharpened tip 4.

The upper surface of the jaw 3 is formed with generally parallel, to the longitudinal plane of the handler The handle l is formed at its rear end with a round head or=knob5 adapted to engage the palm of the hand of the operator when exerting the necessary longitudinal pressure on the implement to start the same under the cast.

. a The portion 2 adjacent but rearwardly of the a'movable jaw "I is pivotally mounted. This jaw is of double or slotted form, the sidewallst of whichclosely straddle the portion 2, and the jaw 3 when said movable jaw 1 is closed. The movable jaw 1' includes across web 9 at its forward end, the lower back edge of which cross web is sharpened and forms a transverse cutting blade to cooperate in punching relation with the tip 4 of the jaw 3, as shown in Fig. 2.

The sides 8 of the jaw I are exteriorly bevelsharpened along their lower edges, as at ill, to

cooperate with the side edges of the jaw 3, while the inner faces of said sides 8 are flared at the,

top, as at I I, to provide for clearance or relief of the cut-out ribbon of the cast.

A boss I2 is formed integral with and projects upwardly from the portion 2 through the slot of the jaw 1 intermediate the pin 6 and the rear end of jaw 3. An upper handle I3 is forked at its forward end and is pivoted, as at I4, on the boss above the jaw I; said fork being formed with transversely spaced depending cams [5 which correspond to and engage the upper edges of the slotted jaw I.

These cams are positioned, relative to the handle l3 and pivot l4, so that when said handle is relatively close to the lower handle I, the jaws are fully closed, as shown in Fig. 2. When the upper handle is raised and swung forward, the upper jaw I is opened by means of links l6 connecting the cams l5 and jaw I on oppositesides of the implement. The links l6 may be of light construction, since there ,is no pressure to be overcome with the opening movement of the boss.

When the implement is in use the handle I3 is first thrown up and forwardly to open the upper jaw l. The lower jaw 3 is then inserted a short distance under the cast. Due to the thinness of the jaw 3 this may be done without hurt to the patient. While maintaining the handle I and jaw 3 stationary, the handle I3 is then pulled back and down, causing the jaw I to move closed so that the ribbon is cut transversely and punched out by the cooperating tip 4 of blade 3 and transverse cutting blade of the cross web 9. If it islde'siredtoleayeiltheribbon connected, to the east; 'theiclosin'g' 'movement of the jaws;- is halted before the transverse cutting and punc ing-out action takes place. After each cut made the lower handle and jaw are.-,of.;cc urse advanced, and the cutting cycle repeated.

from. if. desired.

ZFr mthe, fore oingidescription it will read- .1 seennthat I; have producedv such, a device, as

substantially fulfills'jthe objects of, the invention While this specification sets" forth ingdetailfthe present and preferred. construction .o'fjthe idevi'ce,

still ,in praotice such deviations from such detail ...Having thus described, my invention, what I ',.claim 'as' ,new and, useful ,andfjd'e'sire to secure 1, by 'LettersiPatent is:

19A cast. cutting .iinnlementcompr iii aflowr handle ,and jaw. ,unit, the .jaw being rigid with a d projectin forwardly lfromiithe hand e; a initially separate, upper yoke-like; jaw pivoted on the unitadjacent the rear 4 end, of. the lower jaw; forQmovement relative 'to*the;latter, anginitiallyseparate upper handle pivoted, on, the, unit ina closing direction, the sharpened lower edges independently of the upper jaw, and operating means between the upper handle and upper jaw to open and close the latter and arranged so that when saidjaw is open, the upper handle is in an 5 upstanding position relative to the lower handle;

the upper handle being pivoted on said unit above the yoke-like jaw and ahead of the pivot thereof, said operating means comprising a pair of transverselyspaced cams onthe upper handle flsbe'loufig the'pivo't thereof ands erigagingtithe upper -surface"of' opposite sides" of the yoke like jaw to close the same upon rearward and downward swinging movement of the upper handle, and a linleconnecting the upper handle and upper jaw I to open the latter upon upward and forward The form and relationship of the jaws enables th line of-cut through thehcastltobe strai htppr v to follow a generally curved line, so that any'particular section of the cast may be removed there- .ztar rltrblation with and projecting forwardly from Said lower handlaganlelongated,U-shapedp e jaw facin downwardly. and, straddling the lower jaw, means, pivoting said upper' jaw. adjacent its rearj end, on the lower jaw for cooperative openpin and closing movement-relative to, the ,latter, a. rigid boss proiectingaupwardly fromthe lower jaw adjacent its rear end, an' upper handlehaving a for at its lower end, the fork; straddling said bossand; being gpivoted'ftheretolfor swinging movement 'of saidupperhandle aboutjanaaxis parallel tob'utlabove'thexaxis ofltheupperiaw,

'cams formedonjthe-npposed legs of said fork for cooperativefengagement with the upper, surfaces of QPDOSite sides ,o f'.th l 561 jaw, Said Cams being disposed to forcefully 'close' the upper,1jaw

5 upon rearward and downward swinging in "the upper handle, andseparatemeans connecting the upper :handle wandijlupperl jaw, to. openL't-he latter upon upward and forward swinging movement of'said upper handle. f

' ARTHUR J. 

